vector model 3 tonearm with basis perfect signal ... - Basis Audio

VECTOR MODEL 3 TONEARM WITH BASISPERFECT SIGNAL TRANSMISSION CABLEArmando Conti, owner of Basis Audio and designer of the Basis turntables, realized his 18 year goal ofproducing an integrated record player system with the introduction of the original Vector tonearm. Ironically,before designing the first Debut turntable, as a professional product designer and part time audio dealer, hisfirst product ideas and sketches were for a state of the art tonearm. Disappointment with the stability ofavailable turntables led to the design of the now legendary Debut turntable, and Basis became a turntablecompany instead of a tonearm company. Over the next 16 years, evaluation of tonearms, experimentation toimprove available tonearms, and new conceptual tonearm design work continued.The Vector tonearm is the result of this evolutionary process, incorporating the same principles of engineeringand physics that have made Basis turntables known and praised for their refined, natural, musical sound andneutrality. Also incorporated into the Vector tonearm is the legendary Basis precision and exacting execution ofthe fundamental design. The result is a state of the art tonearm capable of displaying the true potential of Basisturntables, and of conveying the nearly unbelievable layers of information, dynamics, and musicality that laywaiting to be discovered in the record grooves.In January, 2003, the first Vector with Basis “Perfect Signal Transmission Technology” cable beganshipping. The Basis cable takes the standard-setting performance of the Vector tonearm to new heights.THE BEARINGThe Vector 1 tonearm utilizes a hybrid bearing featuring a point contact, .020” radius polished male pivotfabricated from hardened tool steel. The female cup is ground and polished from sapphire and is preciselyradiused to achieve self-centering with the pivot. The entire weight of the tonearm is concentrated on theprimary pivot, with an innovative stabilization bearing controlling azimuth as well as guaranteeing stability of thevertical rotational plane of the stylus. This new, advanced bearing system solves the problems with allprevious fixed bearing arms (bearing chatter, lack of azimuth correction) as well as the problems with unipivotbearings (azimuth “rocking” reaction reducing bass and dynamics, “loose” hand operation, unstable azimuthreaction to vertical record warps). The result is a tonearm of unprecedented sonic performance andsuperior tracking, guaranteeing reduced record wear.The Vector tonearm is designed with a center of gravity offset from the main pivot, generating a couple (torque)about the axis of the armtube. This torque creates a secondary force resulting in a constant side-load againstthe stabilizing bearing, which consists of an azimuth guide arm riding against an ABEC 7 precision ball bearing.The guide arm is ground and polished to a .060” radius, creating a point contact against the .125” radius bearing.The secondary bearing is loaded in a purely radial, uni-directional fashion, eliminating all free play as well as anyrequirement for the bearing to support axial loads. With a radial runout of .0001” or less, the secondarybearing guarantees azimuth stability to within .0107 0 . The secondary bearing is submerged in anextremely temperature independent damping fluid, guaranteeing no possibility of bearing chatter. The azimuthguide arm is angled at the exact angle of the headshell, forcing the tonearm to maintain azimuth while traversingrecord warps and at all VTA settings. The above arrangement yields a silent bearing that is supremely stable,resulting in effortless sound and pinpoint, stable imaging. It must be noted that the secondary bearing is a hard,fixed azimuth support with no compliance. No other systems on the market result in this combination of totalstability and freedom from chatter. Magnetic stabilization of azimuth position represents the addition of asecondary mass-spring system into the tonearm design and introduces a rotational resonance in the audioband, reducing image focus along with harmonic distortion.THE ARMTUBEThe Vector armtube is fabricated from a “Matrix” alloy, a metallurgical development in which the crystalstructure is controlled in such a way as to achieve desirable properties of resonance control without sacrificingstrength. In science and technology periodicals research in this area has also been called “amorphousstructure” and “liquid metal technology”. Independent of the terminology, properly executed this technologyyields the best balance of strength and self-damping for a metal armtube. Along with internal damping, the

Vector 3 armtube/headshell assembly form an inert platform for the cartridge to accurately retrieve the signalfrom the record.THE WIRINGIn design for two years, the Basis “Perfect Signal Transmission Technology” (PSST) phono cable follows thenormal Basis practice of starting with the basic physics. In the audio range, capacitance and inductance of acable changes radically as the frequency changes. Many listeners and audio industry professionalserroneously feel that higher frequency signal transmission poses greater problems than audio frequencytransmission. The reality of changing electrical properties with frequency in the audio range creates havocwith musical signals. Audio range signals are far more affected by phase distortion than signals at higherfrequencies. The nature of the complex functions of impedance, capacitance, and inductance are asymptotic,stabilizing at extremely high frequencies, but substantially changing at audio frequencies. Basis solves thisproblem by employing “Distortionless Transmission Line Theory”, balancing cable properties to achieve thesingle set of conditions which will result in perfect signal transmission. The result is a phase coherent cablewhose sonic traits are those which one would expect from superior phase coherency: great clarity,seamlessness and an impression of sound sources “floating mid-air”, with the speakers “disappearing”.DAMPING SOLUTIONSIn modeling the behavior of the tonearm-cartridge system, Conti went back to the undeniable engineering basics.The compliance of all cartridge suspension systems, along with the mass of the cartridge and tonearm, resultsin a classic “mass-spring system”. The laws of physics dictate that this system will exhibit a predominantnatural resonant frequency specified by the actual cartridge compliance and system moment of inertia, equal to1/(2pi) x (K/J) 1/2 where J is the moment of inertia of the system and K is the effective spring rate of thecartridge. The elimination of ringing in this system can only be accomplished through the effective use ofviscous damping, achieved in the Vector Model 3 tonearm by the use of stable viscous silicone damping fluidand substantial effective damping paddle area. In the current market, the Vector tonearm is alone in effectivelysupplying the required amount of damping in all planes to prevent ringing due to underdamping. Notcoincidentally, the Vector is the finest tracking tonearm on the market today, and displays unmatched dynamicexplosiveness.ANTI-SKATE BIASIn discussing any pivoted tonearm design some clarification on anti-skating bias is warranted. Skating force isgenerated during record play by the stylus of a cartridge mounted in any pivoted tonearm. Frictional force,(stylus drag force, “F”), is generated in the direction of groove-to-stylus motion, at a tangent to the recordgroove at the tonearm null points. The direction of this force vector is offset from the tonearm pivot by theheadshell angle (“theta”) and can therefore be resolved into 2 perpendicular force components, one of tensionalong the cantilever centerline and one of skating perpendicular to the cantilever centerline, forcing theheadshell toward the center of the record. The coefficient of friction between the record and stylus, “u”,multiplied by the tracking force, “T”, and sine theta, will give the magnitude: F = (u x T x sine theta). Assuming u= .13, for the Vector tonearm at a 2 gram tracking force F = .13 x 2 grams x .391 = .10 grams. Anyone who hasexperienced the large difference .10 grams makes in tracking force and cantilever compression would agreethat this amount of sidewall force could destroy records and reduce sound quality if not negated.For this reason, the Vector utilizes adjustable anti-skating, with a bias weight that can fully cover the range ofanti-skate necessary even for the heaviest available cartridges.WHY THE NAME VECTOR?The name “Vector” is representative of the analysis used in the design of this tonearm. There are a multitudeof forces present during the playback of a record with a pivoted tonearm, including tracking force, inertiallygenerated dynamic horizontal and vertical forces caused by record eccentricities and warps, skating and antiskatingforces, and torque reactions about the tonearm pivot, to name some of the more prominent. Each ofthese forces has a specific direction, which is the essence of a “vector”: a quantity that can be specified by

oth a magnitude and direction. Through the use of “free body diagrams” and vector addition each of theseforces was broken down into orthogonal components and a summary of all forces acting on the tonearm wasanalyzed. The Vector 3 was designed to compensate properly for and be absolutely stable under the influenceof each force. A true, fundamental, quantitative and qualitative engineering understanding of each of thepertinent parameters, along with a knowledge of the relationship between the objective science and thesubjective musical performance (“the sound”) of analog playback devices has resulted in the Vector 3 tonearm.Without such vector and “free body” analysis this astonishing result could not be achieved. Hence, the name“Vector”.PERFORMANCEThere are no undiscovered laws of physics at work determining the sound of a tonearm. There are nounlocked secrets of metallurgy or bearing design that result in unpredicted sonic behavior. And there are noalternate theories to the simple analysis of damping in “mass-spring systems” that could be used to defend thelevel of underdamping seen in most other tonearm designs. So it comes as no surprise that the Vector tonearmperforms as would be predicted given a friction-free, chatter-free bearing that is also fixed in the azimuthdirection, a non-resonant armtube, uniquely proper damping, correct anti-skate, and spot-on geometry. Toquote a well know reviewer after listening to a final, pre-production sample: “Deep, powerful bass; natural,low-fatigue, low-grain midrange; delicate, airy high frequencies; positively explosive dynamics;and the finest tracking I have experienced in my many years in the audio industry. It seems to setnew standards in many aspects of tonearm performance.”To quote another legendary figure in high-end audio, physicist David Fletcher, designer of “The Arm” and theSOTA turntable, “You have solved many of the problems that drove me crazy. Yes, I agree yourdamping is correct. I could not do that with my design.” In answer to the question, “What tradeoffs doyou see that were made to obtain the strengths of this design, the response was “None, and you can quoteme.”Analyzed from a technical standpoint, the Vector is a formidable technical solution. Evaluated by amusic lover, the Vector is a sonic standout, redefining the possibilities of record playback byoffering tracking levels never before approached, musicality, and startling dynamics.